Gikinoo’wizhiwi Onji Waaban (Guiding for Tomorrow) Changing Climate, Changing Culture Professional Development Institute’s Influence on Classroom Teachers

Abstract

Traditional ecological knowledge of key species important to Ojibwe lifeways and scientific understanding suggest climate change is impacting the communities, natural resources, economies, and cultures in the Wisconsin Lake Superior region. In response, constituencies collaborated to create a new model for climate change education: G-WOW, or Gikinoo’wizhiwi Onji Waaban (Guiding for Tomorrow) Changing Climate, Changing Culture. A retrospective pretest-posttest determined whether the Summer 2015 G-WOW Institute met its objectives and is an effective approach to inspiring climate related service-learning projects. Means of the domains measured provide evidence the G-WOW Institute increased respondents’: perceived level of climate literacy, confidence, and pedagogical skills. The G-WOW Institute also influenced current and future teaching practices regarding climate change education. Results from this study showed the success of participants transferring the model to their personal cultures and the cultures of the students. Finally, completing service-learning projects as a result of attendance further indicated the success of the G-WOW Institute by promoting community-based action toward mitigating and adapting to climate change.